The present invention relates to an information exchange arrangement between a photographic supply cartridge and a photographic film processor. The information exchange is used to verify that the actual volume of solution within the solution cartridge is adequate to process photographic film which is loaded on the processor.
Small volume batch processors, whether run by an operator or a free standing customer oriented entity such as kiosk, have to have consumables available in order to process the next customer order. This is true for any batch processor. More specifically, a small volume photographic processing unit such as a batch processor that requires processing chemicals to convert an exposed image into a developed image could run out of chemistry before the processing of the photographic element is completed. In batch processors, failure to have sufficient chemical volumes available to process the film once film processing is commenced can lead to catastrophic loss of the exposed images.
As an example, ink jet printers can run out of ink before an order is complete, causing frustration on the part of the user. However, in ink jet printers, the images that were to be printed at the time when the printer ran out of ink, can be resent to the printer after the consumables are replaced without adverse affect to the images.
Generally, large film processors such as those available in centralized photofinishing operations or in distributed photofinishing operations such as minilabs use large volumes of processing solution, often greater than 20 liters in total for all of the processing solutions. These photofinishing operations typically use a replenishment system. Such a replenishment system replaces the amount of a given functional solution such as a developer that gets consumed by the film with a small volume of more concentrated solution of the same functionality. The actual volume used of the more concentrated functional solutions depends on the area of film that is being processed (film length by film width). Typically, the replenishment rate is expressed in linear feet for a given film format rather than film area, with one set of conditions for 35 mm type film, another for APS-type film, and others for 110-format-type film and 126-format-type film. These replenishment solutions are also used to replace any evaporative losses associated with a given functional solution. The intent is to keep the concentration of the active solution components at specified aim concentrations plus or minus the noise factors present in such a replenishment system. Thus, the ratio of actual tank solution volume for a functional processing solution to the replenishment solution volume needed to process even the largest area of film is very large. In such instance, if the replenishment volume is insufficient to process the customer""s order, processing can still continue without lost images in the functional solution volume that is available. An alarm is likely to be used to signal the operator of such a replenished system to replace the spent replenishment solution volume.
However, for a small volume processing machine such as a batch processor that uses cartridges to supply the needed functional solutions, the ratio of actual tank solution volume for a functional processing solution to the replenishment solution volume needed to process even the largest area of film may be very small including zero. In such instances, processing a customer""s roll of film can lead to a catastrophic loss of images if the volume of functional solution available is insufficient to complete the desired processing cycle. There is a need for a small volume processor that recognizes that the residual functional volume in a supply cartridge is insufficient to complete the next customer""s order to avoid catastrophic loss of recorded images.
The present invention relates to a method and use of information exchange between supply cartridges that are placed on a small processing machine and the control program used to operate the processing machine. A preferred element of the information that is exchanged is the volume of functional solution present in the supply cartridge. A further element of the information exchange can be a verification that the correct solution is placed within the film processor. A still further element of the information exchange is a secure identification that ensures that only functional solutions of a certain type or from a certain manufacturer are used within the film processor in order to ensure the quality of the processed images.
The present invention accordingly relates to a method of processing photographic material which comprises the steps of loading a processing solution cartridge onto a processing machine; transferring first information indicative of a residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge to the processing machine; loading a film to be processed onto the processing machine; transferring second information about the loaded film to be processed to the processing machine; determining a volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film based on the transferred second information; dispensing the volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film into the processing machine to process the loaded film; adjusting the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge by subtracting the dispensed volume of processing solution from the residual volume to provide for an adjusted residual volume; and updating the first information based on the adjusted residual volume.
The present invention therefore relates to a method of processing photographic material which comprises the steps of loading a processing solution cartridge onto a processing machine; transferring first information indicative of a residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge to the processing machine; loading a film to be processed onto the processing machine; transferring second information about the loaded film to be processed to the processing machine; determining a volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film based on the transferred second information; and determining if the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is greater than or equal to the volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film. In the method of the present invention, if the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is greater than or equal to the volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film, the method further comprises the step of dispensing the volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film into the processing machine to process the loaded film. If the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is less than the volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film, the method further comprises the step of rejecting a processing operation of the loaded film by not dispensing processing solution into the processing machine.
The present invention further relates to a processing system that comprises a processing machine for processing photographic film therein, with the processing machine having a code reader; a control system for controlling operation of the processing machine, with the control system being adapted to at least determine a volume of processing solution needed to process a unit amount of photographic film which is to be processed in the processing machine; and a solution supply cartridge for supplying processing solution to the processing machine to process the photographic film. The cartridge has a code thereon which includes information indicative of a residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge, such that an association of the supply cartridge with the processing machine permits the code reader on the processing machine to read the code on the supply cartridge to cause a transfer of the information indicative of the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge to the control system. The control system of the invention is further adapted to dispense the volume of processing solution needed to process the unit amount of film to be processed in the processing machine if the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is greater than or equal to the volume of processing solution needed to process the unit amount of film to be processed in the processing machine; and reject a processing operation of the unit amount of film by not dispensing processing solution into the processing machine, if the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is less than the volume of processing solution needed to process the unit amount of film.
The present invention further relates to a method of processing photographic material which comprises the steps of loading a processing solution cartridge onto a processing machine; transferring first information indicative of residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge to the processing machine; loading a film to be processed onto the processing machine; transferring second information about the loaded film to be processed to the processing machine; determining a volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film based on the transferred second information; and controlling a processing of the loaded film in the processing machine based on the volume of processing solution needed to process the loaded film.
The present invention further relates to a processing system which comprises a processing machine for processing photographic film therein, with the processing machine having a code reader; a control system for controlling operation of the processing machine, with the control system being adapted to at least determine a volume of processing solution needed to process a unit amount of photographic film which is to be processed in the processing machine; and a solution supply cartridge for supplying processing solution to the processing machine to process the photographic film, with the cartridge having a code thereon which includes information indicative of a residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge, such that an association of the supply cartridge with the processing machine permits the code reader on the processing machine to read the code on the supply cartridge to cause a transfer of the information indicative of the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge to the control system. The control system is further adapted to control a processing of the film in the processing machine based on the volume of processing solution needed to process the unit amount of film in the processing machine.
The present invention also relates to a method of processing photographic material which comprises the steps of loading a processing solution cartridge onto a processing machine; transferring first information indicative of a residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge to the processing machine; loading a film to be processed into the processing machine; and transferring second information about the loaded film to be processed to the processing machine. In the method of the present invention, if the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is greater than or equal to the volume of processing solution needed to process a longest length of loaded film that uses a highest replenishing rate, then the method further comprises dispensing the needed volume of processing solution. If the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is less than the volume of processing solution needed to process the longest length of loaded film that uses the highest replenishing rate, the method further comprises the step of rejecting a processing operation of the loaded film by not dispensing processing solution into the processing machine.
The present invention also relates to a method of processing photographic material which comprises the steps of: loading a processing solution cartridge onto a processing machine; transferring information indicative of a residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge to the processing machine; and determining a volume of processing solution needed to process a hypothetical film length based on a film which is to be loaded on the processing machine. In the method of the present invention, if the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is greater than or equal to the determined volume of processing solution, then the processing machine awaits a film to be loaded for processing, and if the residual volume of processing solution in the cartridge is less than the determined volume of processing solution, the method further comprises the step of rejecting a processing operation of the film.